MN-03: Who’s In, Who’s Out

(That title sort of sounds like the name of a rejected Who compilation.)

If you haven’t been following the absurdly-long list of potential Democratic challengers to fill the seat of vacating Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad in Minnesota’s 3rd District, here’s an update on the latest action.

  • Former Congressman Bill Luther told MN Publus that he would pass on the race.
  • State Rep. Maria Ruud will run for re-election.
  • Hubert H. “Buck” Humphrey IV (grandson of the vice president) is out as of late last week:

    Hubert H. (Buck) Humphrey IV, who has been widely identified as a likely frontrunner in the race for the DFL nomination for the open congressional seat in the Third District has decided not to run.

    “I will verify that,” Humphrey just told me when I called him to check out the rumor.

    Humphrey, grandson of a vice president and presidential nominee, son of a Minnesota attorney general and gubernatorial nominee, and himself a one-time candidate (for Minn. Secretary of State) said that while he was quickly pulling together financing, an organization and a plan to run for the nomination, he and his wife decided that right now, with two daughters ages five and two, was not the time to make the full-time, full-family, full-body commitment necessary to succeed in a campaign like the one ahead for Congress.

  • Former Hennepin County attorney candidate Andy Luger is also out, despite earlier rumors suggesting he was committed to the race.
  • State Sen. Terri Bonoff is definitely in.
  • Other possible candidates include state Reps. Melissa Hortman and Steve Simon, former US Attorney David Lillehaug, and even former gubernatorial candidate Steve Kelley.

For a comprehensive overview of all the potential DFL candidates, check out this MN Publius candidate report.

Race Tracker: MN-03